


(i would) check you out

by lovelivesinthedream



Category: Dominion (TV)
Genre: Boys Are Dumb, M/M, everyone is human, human!AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-04
Updated: 2014-07-04
Packaged: 2018-02-07 11:40:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1897629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovelivesinthedream/pseuds/lovelivesinthedream
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Maybe Alex’s life is not so unlucky, after all. </p><p>And Gabriel deserves a gift basket.</p>
            </blockquote>





	(i would) check you out

**Author's Note:**

> I'll just go ahead and apologize for the ridiculousness you're about to read. I'm sorry.

_“Are you going to be home soon?”_   his sister asks as he’s searching for a box of peanut oil free cake mix. He has to hold the phone between his ear and his shoulder so he can grab on to the shelf and try to lift himself high enough to reach the top. Because, of course, that is where he finds the only box of cake mix that is safe for his sister to eat.

“I just have a few things left to pick up, Bix,” Alex replies patiently. A grunt escapes him when he moves to his tiptoes, but it’s still not enough to reach. “But what’s the hurry? Is Dad really that boring?” he jokes as he manages to get a foot on the bottom shelf, and then he finally gets his fingers around the edge of the box. It teeters a little, and he tries his best to catch it, but gravity is a bitch and Alex is sort of a klutz.

The cake mix lands on the generic tiles with a giant ‘poof’ somewhere behind him that he is sure can be heard all the way in the back of the store by the milk. It’s surprisingly loud considering the small size, but he shrugs it off. He hops down from the shelf feeling embarrassed but accomplished. There’s a woman down at the end of the aisle that is giving him the stink-eye.

 _“Dad got a call from work and had to leave,”_ Bixby explains in a quiet voice like she’s doesn’t really want to tell him. Alex curses under his breath as he turns around to find the troublesome box. Ever since their mom left, Bixby has had abandonment issues—she absolutely hates being alone, terrified that they’ll leave and never come home. It really pisses Alex off that Jeep continues to ignore how fragile Bixby is about it.

“I’ll be home as soon as I can. Ten minutes, tops.” He’s in a hurry now, rushing to get home, worried about his little sister having a breakdown all by herself. That is the only excuse he has for not noticing the man with long legs sheathed in tight, dark jeans dusted with a fine white powder standing near him.

_"Promise?”_

“I solemnly swear, Bixby. I’ll see you soon.” She giggles and makes him promise again before saying goodbye, and a fond smile lifts his lips as he hangs up.

He spots his target on the floor near the shelves on the other side of the aisle and squats downs to retrieve it.

Alex freezes in place as he finally notices the black boots he’s basically reaching over as he grabs the cake mix from the floor. It’s also the same moment that he sees the flour bag right beside the box, popped open and exploded all over everything--including the person Alex is still practically on his knees in front of.

Now the angle isn’t the best, and the cheap fluorescent lighting isn’t doing anyone any favors, but when Alex slowly slides his eyes up the mile-long legs, over the v-cut brown shirt that perfectly hints at a well-toned chest, and finally gets to the face of some Austen-esque male interest—well, Alex thinks he wouldn’t mind being on his knees in front of this man.

And then the man speaks, and Alex dies a little inside from the sexy voice dripping from the man’s full lips. “It seems that you’ve dropped something.”

His eyebrow raises in question when Alex’s only response is to stare open mouthed. Flushing, Alex clears his throat and unthinkingly begins to pat the flour from the man’s jeans. He’s half-way up the guy’s calves when he realizes what he’s doing and jumps to his feet, face beet red and ears burning.

“I am so sorry! God, I’m such a mess, and I should’ve been paying attention to what I was doing, but my little sist-”

The man’s eyes crinkle in what looks like a smile even if his mouth doesn’t look all that amused. He bends down and then straightens, holding out the box that Alex still hasn’t picked up. “It’s quite alright. No harm, no foul, as they say.”

His blue eyes are practically glittering with mirth, and Alex has only seen this guy for like two minutes, but he’s already smitten. He manages to stutter out a ‘thank you’ before the man turns and walks away.

Alex definitely will not complain about the view. That man’s ass is a gift from the heavens.

He hurries through the rest of his grocery list in a daze, keeping a look out for the stranger around the store, but he gets through the checkout and out to his car without any luck. The ride home is mostly spent with the memory of his hands on the man’s legs and the view that he’d had looking up from the floor. Alex knows himself well enough to admit the memory will be fueling most of his fantasies for the next few weeks.

Bixby runs out to greet him with a giant hug as soon as he pulls in the driveway. They carry the groceries in together and joke around while Alex starts dinner. Bixby tells him about her day at school, and Alex agrees to play Clue with her later if she finishes her homework. Jeep doesn’t show up before it’s time for bed, but Alex and Bixby manage fine on their own.

After he tucks her into bed, he falls back onto the cool sheets in his own room. When he checks his phone, there is a missed called from Noma, and it really isn’t so late that he can’t call her back. She answers on the third ring, and even though he knows everything he says can and will be used as blackmail later, Alex can’t help but gush about the handsome guy from the store. Noma hums along noncommittally for the most part, but Alex knows that she’s storing all the information away for the next time he annoys her somehow.

Ah, the trials of friendship.

*****

“Is that the hottie you were swooning over yesterday?” Noma asks loudly and shamelessly when the tall man in the black leather jacket walks in the library door. Everyone within a ten foot radius turns to look. Alex groans and does his best not to sink into the floor and die in mortification, steadfastly not responding by pretending to be absorbed with the book in his hands.

“He’s a little too broody for me, but those tight jeans really bring out his ass. Good one, Lannen,” Noma continues at the same volume as if she doesn’t know what an indoor voice is. (She does know how to use a library appropriate tone, but she’s still pissed that Alex won’t give her Claire’s number and is punishing him publicly until he caves. Unfortunately for the both of them, Alex won’t give in so easily.)

The steady booted footsteps of the mysterious man are getting closer, sending Alex’s heartbeat into a rocketed frenzy. Noma, being the horrible friend that she is, nudges him in the side pointedly and leaves to push the cart of returns out to the floor. Damn her.

“I am sorry to interrupt--” the man says in that smooth accent of his, and really, how is anyone supposed to not fall a little bit in love with that?

Alex shakes his head vehemently, face burning in embarrassment, staring resolutely at the book so he won’t accidentally faint from the hotness oozing off the stranger. “No! Uh-I mean, no, you weren’t interrupting anything.”

“Really?” The man sounds amused, and Alex catches a glimpse of a slightly lopsided smile out of the corner of his eye. It’s charming. “I thought you looked quite busy trying to decipher that upside down.”

_Shitshitshit_

Noma doesn’t need to embarrass him because Alex does a good enough job of it himself. Finally looking at the hardcover in his hands, he sees that it is in fact facing the wrong direction. Just freaking great. Alex really does have the worst luck ever.

The man laughs, a low chuckle that makes his eyes crinkle at the corners and his mouth open in a tempting smirk. He reaches out and takes the book from Alex’s hands, their fingers briefly touching and sparking an inferno in Alex’s gut.

“This is actually the one I was going to ask about. It’s been out the last few times I came in, and the other guy that works here told me to keep checking back,” the stranger says with the smile still playing on his lips. Alex is going to punch Ethan so hard for not mentioning what is probably the hottest person Alex has ever seen. Jackass friends.

The man’s brow furrows in a way that is cuter than should be legal as he tilts his head in question. “It’s curious that you would already have it ready when you couldn’t have known I would come today. Some might call it fate, even.”

Alex does his very, very best to not think about this man _coming today_.

“It’s probably just a coincidence,” Alex blurts out. To be honest, his brain is still hung up on the way the man’s eyes sparkle when he’s amused. “That book was returned earlier today by an anthropology student, and I haven’t gotten around to re-shelving it yet.”

“One should never underestimate destiny,” is the only reply he gets. The stranger glances from the cover of the book up to Alex’s face, and Alex wonders what it says about him that he finds the oddly intense look to be such a turn on.

Whatever might have happened after that is interrupted by the phone shrilly ringing. Alex hesitates, but the man nods in understanding and gestures for Alex to answer. It’s one of the psychology professors on the other end of the line, and Alex winces. Noma, being of use for once, appears beside him and frowns in sympathy. The tall, handsome stranger is still waiting patiently to check out his book (while Alex is resolutely not checking _him_ out), and Noma gives Alex one pat on the back before moving in. The man is blocked from his view by her back as he listens to Professor Whele’s specific and long-winded instructions on the books Alex needs to put on hold and keep for the next few weeks.

By the time he’s able to hang up, the man has gone, and Alex won’t admit it to anyone out loud, but his heart sinks a little in disappointment.

Noma refuses to tell Alex the stranger’s name unless he gives her Claire’s number. It’s a dirty trick, but Alex would give just about anything to put a name to his new dream guy. Besides, Claire’s been dropping hints that she wants to hangout with Noma—he would have given Noma the number within the next couple of days, anyway, once he got used to the idea of two of his friends dating.

It’s a win-win situation for him, but Noma doesn’t need to know that.

 _Michael_.

*****

It is a testament to his lifetime of terrible luck and misfortune that the next time Alex sees Michael (in the flesh and not in his dreams) is at the movie theater.

Alex is standing in line with Ethan to order popcorn and twizzlers while Claire and Noma are in the other line waiting to get tickets for the four of them. Ethan is playing on his phone, probably flirting with Arika again even though he’s been turned down six times in the last four months, and Alex is trying to decide if extra butter is wise. It’s delicious, but it’s also a mess, and Alex doesn’t really need to tempt fate like that.

In the end, Ethan promises to hold the popcorn throughout the movie so there’s no chance of Alex spilling it. They meet the girls at the ticket collector and head in to find their seats. Once Alex is sure that he knows where they’re sitting, he steps out to the bathroom so he won’t have to go during the movie. He hates having to walk in front of people to get out, especially, when the movie is playing.

The bathroom smells in the same way that all public restrooms do. It’s relatively clean, though, and it’s empty. He stands at the urinal and does his business while trying to read the things people have written on the wall in front of him. He chuckles at a particularly stupid joke someone has made when he hear a hum from beside him.

“I’ve never understood why people feel the need to do that,” Michael says as he nods toward the wall. He’s talking like it’s a completely normal thing to do, like he and Alex are just continuing a conversation they’d been having before. “Do they stand here long enough to get bored? If pissing takes that long, perhaps, they should visit a doctor.”

Alex’s mouth falls open to say something, anything, but he’s at a loss. He thinks he might be dreaming, to be honest. Is this the intro to a porno?

It takes all of five seconds for Alex to realize that he’s standing beside Michael with his junk in his hand, and oh, hey, Michael is in a similar position, so Alex should really put his penis away, _right now_ , before things get even more embarrassing.

“Haha, yeah,” he laughs awkwardly and a beat too late. He steps back and quickly zips himself up, Michael’s smirk making him burn up the entire time.

He sounds so dumb. Something about Michael just makes him all tongue-tied, sets him off balance. Alex needs to redeem himself somehow. Washing his hands fast, Alex dries them on his pants and gets out his phone to do a quick search. He can feel Michael watching him curiously in the mirror as he washes his own hands. Alex still feels extremely stupid as he pulls a pen from his pocket and braces his arm on the wall to neatly print the names and numbers of a few local urologists.

He’s so nervous that Michael will think he’s an idiot that his fingers are shaking by the time he’s done. A horde of butterflies is migrating erratically in his stomach, making his gut swoop as Michael moves closer.

He’s not expecting Michael to pull out a black marker from the inside of his leather jacket or to lean forward to write directly above Alex’s own scrawl. _In case of difficulty urinating, please consider contacting one of these professionals instead of defiling public property._

He looks almost proud as he surveys the wall. “That was clever thinking, Alex. Nobody will ever be able to tell if we are mocking them or genuinely trying to help them. I like it.”

The smile on his face is small, a barely visible twist of his lips, but it causes a whirlwind inside of Alex. His palms sweat nervously as he smiles back. The phone buzzes in his hand, and when he checks, it’s a text from Claire telling him to hurry his ass up before he misses the previews. When he looks up, Michael is gone.

The whole movie is a bit of a blur. Michael’s smile keeps barreling through whatever concentration Alex tries to achieve. The fullness of his bottom lip, perfect for nibbling. The bow of his top lip where Alex could lick. The arch of his cheek, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes when he’s amused. His long fingers and endless legs. That neck that practically begs to be sucked on. His sharp collar bones that Alex could spend hours mapping with his mouth.

If one looked up the definition of sexually frustrating in the dictionary, Alex is 5000% positive that there’d only be a picture of Michael.

“So what’d you think? The fight scenes were kind of lame—too much choreography, but-”

Alex tunes out his friends voices as they walk out to the parking lot. It is dark now, that strange post-movie vertigo setting in that makes the world seem foreign for a moment. He doesn’t have an opinion on the movie because he missed most of it whilst daydreaming about Michael’s hands on him in the dark. The three others are pretty deep into their analysis of the movie when Alex stops, hand hanging on the door handle.

In the next row of cars, directly under the streetlamp and perfectly illuminated, Michael is walking with a woman tucked under his arm. His black jacket is wrapped around her shoulders, and even from a distance it’s easy to see how comfortable they are with each other.

Alex feels sick. He doesn’t know why he’s so surprised to see Michael is taken. Honestly, it would be weird if Michael wasn’t dating someone. A person that attractive and charming would obviously be taken, and even if he wasn’t, why would he ever be interested in Alex? Michael probably didn’t even like guys to begin with. There was nothing boyish about the lady clinging to Michael.

He’s silent for the ride home and waves half-heartedly to his friends when they pull away. His heart aches a little less when he’s greeted by the adorable sight of Bixby cuddled up with Jeep on the couch, both of them fast asleep in front of the television. Bixby is light in his arms when he carries her to her room and carefully tucks her in. Jeep ruffles his hair affectionately before stumbling half-asleep to his own room.

Alex refuses to think about Michael as he falls asleep. It doesn’t stop Michael from starring in all his dreams.

*****

“You can’t keep avoiding him forever, Alex.” Noma is using her serious voice. It’s worrying because Noma is only ever serious about things Alex doesn’t want to talk about. Ever.

He shrugs and pushes the cart of books further down the row. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Noma sighs heavily and blocks his path. He might be stronger, but she’s faster. It’s pointless to try to get around her. “I never even told him my name, Noma. I’m just a nobody to him, and I want to pretend none of it ever happened.”

“You’re being stupid,” she begins, straight to the point and indelicate as always. “He’s known your name since the day he walked in here; you wear a nametag, Alex.” Alex does feel a little dumb as he glances at the lanyard hanging from his neck with a betrayed expression. How could he have forgotten that was there?

“So he probably has a girlfriend, big deal. That guy has come in here every other day for the last four weeks just to talk to you even after you continually ignore him. And as one of your best friends, I feel like it’s my job to tell you to stop being a moron and see what he wants.” Noma sighs and pats him on the back. “I know it sucks, Alex, but wouldn’t you like to at least be friends if you can’t be anything else?”

Alex hates when Noma is right.

*****

The sun is just setting when his shift ends. Ethan high fives Alex as he heads out to the parking lot. The bag slung over his shoulder is heavy, weighed down with a few fairytale books Bixby has wanted to read.

His run-down Buick is parked under the trees out by the side of the building closest to the train tracks that run alongside it. There aren’t a lot of cars around, most people being at home with their families at this time of the evening. Alex accidentally drops his keys when he tries to unlock his door, and in true Alex fashion, he manages to kick them further away when he tries to pick them up.

“Of course,” he mutters darkly. He’s in a pissy mood to begin with since Noma cornered him earlier, and he doesn’t need this right now.

“Having a bad day?” someone asks as they pick up the keys and swing them around a finger. The man is about the same height as Alex, with artfully disheveled brown hair and dark eyes. His voice is accented in a way that is painfully familiar.

“You could say that,” Alex replies with a defeated slump of his shoulders. The man smirks in a way that makes him look dangerous as he steps into Alex’s personal space.

“I’d say that I’m sorry to hear that, but it’d be a lie.” He chuckles lowly, fingering the silver keys so they glint in the fading light. “You see, my brother has been having a very bad time of it lately because he thinks you hate him. And I have no sympathy for people that hurt my brother.”

Alex is more confused than scared. He’s been practicing self-defense with Jeep since he was a kid, and he thinks he could kick this guy’s ass if he had to. He won’t back down even if it’s obvious that this stranger is trying to intimidate him.

He doesn’t know what’s going on, or who this guy’s brother is, but he has a guess. After all, he only knows one other person that talks like that.

“Michael?”

The man’s eyes are calculating as he stares. “He is my brother, yes. My name is Gabriel,” he holds out his hand and Alex pointedly does not shake it. His drops his hand with a scowl. “I don’t know what it is about you that has interested Michael, but I do know that he likes you very much, and he was under the impression that you might have reciprocated his feelings. However, he’s been miserably moping about for the last month, and I won’t watch him sigh forlornly even once more. Why won’t you talk to him?”

Alex feels his cheeks burning, all the bravado he’d had sinking out of him like a deflated balloon. He stares at his shoes as he responds. “I don’t think I can talk to him while he’s dating that girl.”

“Michael’s not dating anyone,” Gabriel says slowly like Alex is hard of hearing.

“But he was with that girl at the movie theater!”

“Becca? Long brown hair, about your height?” Gabriel asks and Alex nods sullenly. Gabriel laughs, face clearing like sun through a stormy day. “Becca is our cousin. Michael dotes on her like she’s our younger sister.”

Alex is an idiot. Noma will kill him when she finds out.

Gabriel is still laughing at Alex’s expense, but he’s a lot more likeable this way. Or it could just be that Alex is now in a much better mood, spirit instantly lifted by hearing that Michael is not only single but also interested. Alex can’t believe it.

“I’ll forgive you this once, but if you ever hurt my brother again I shall not be so merciful,” Gabriel threatens as he tosses Alex the keys. Miraculously, he is able to catch them without making even more of a fool out of himself. Gabriel is still chuckling as he gets in his own car and drives away.

*****

It’s almost closing time the next day, and Alex is doing his best to ignore the stinging disappointment of not seeing Michael. He’s been anxiously watching the door all day, trying to hide his displeasure when seemingly everyone in town _except_ Michael came in.

Noma is up at the front desk assisting last minute stragglers while Alex takes care of the final returns for the day. The back shelves are dusty with rarely browsed through outdated non-fiction, pages yellowed and musty scented. Alex only has one book left to take care of, and it’s all the way back here in the creepy part of the library. At least the lights aren’t flickering ominously.

He’s only been looking at the label to see where the book belongs, but as he arrives at the shelf he’s been looking for he picks the book up and the title catches his eye. It’s the same book that he’d been holding the first day he’d seen Michael at the front desk.

He smiles a little sadly to himself as he traces the gold lettering of the title. _So much for fate bringing us together_ , Alex thinks wistfully. With a heavy sigh, Alex pushes away any thoughts about what could have been if he was less of an idiot, and looks for the book's vacant home on the shelf. It’s on the top, toward the end and out of reach. Even on his tiptoes Alex has no hopes of getting the book all the way up there.

He’s straining on his toes, chest digging into the wooden shelf when he feels heat radiate along his back and a long arm reaches past him to easily place the book where it belongs. Alex’s breath catches in his throat as he turns around and Michael is _right there_.

“Uh, I don’t know what to say now that I’m actually here,” Michael says quietly, uncertainly. He sounds nervous and Alex finds that endlessly endearing.

His dark hair is windswept away from his forehead, his cheeks are flushed and he’s breathing a little raggedly like he ran all the way here. Every time Alex has seen him, Michael has always been flawlessly put together. He’s so beautiful like this that Alex has a hard time looking directly at him.

He tilts Alex’s chin up, forcing Alex to meet his pale blue eyes. “I wasn’t going to come anymore—I didn’t want to be a bother to you, but my brother told me something very interesting when I returned home from work today. He said that the handsome librarian that I’ve been pining after for weeks was very upset at the thought of me dating,” Michael says with a gleam of hope in his eyes. Alex tries not to lean into the warm hand on his chin, heart racing in his veins. “Is that true, Alex? Is that why you haven’t been talking to me? Because if it is I will tell you here and now, despite the nervousness threatening to consume me, that I like you.”

There is a moment of silence after, a breathless minute where Alex can only stare at Michael in shock. Michael’s face is open, displaying his anxiety and fear of rejection as plain as day when usually it’s hard to tell what Michael is thinking at all. Alex doesn’t know what he’s done to deserve Michael’s affection, but he does know that he’s not going to mess this up again. Everything is hanging on Alex right now; it all depends on what he says.

He’s always been more of an _’actions speak louder than words’_ type of guy.

He pulls Michael down the last few inches separating them, heart nearly beating right out of his chest as he gets to see those beautiful eyes up close and personal. They’re close enough that he can hear Michael’s breathing hitch as Alex cradles the edge of Michael’s jaw, thumb smoothing over the small dip under Michael’s bottom lip. Michael accommodates his height easily, bracing his hands on the shelf beside Alex’s head so that Alex is caged between Michael’s hot-like-burning body and a hard place. It is divine.

The air feels charged, poised and ready to storm around them. Alex has always been a fan of rain.

It’s so easy to lean forward and catch Michael’s lips with his own, and he’s thrilled when Michael instantly pushes back. Alex doesn’t even need to stand on his tiptoes for this. His fingers find their way to Michael’s hair, pushing and pulling and loving the softness against his skin. Michael’s pressed so close that their chests touch with every breath. It feels like the temperature has risen a hundred degrees, making Alex’s clothes too confining and uncomfortable.

“As hot as this is, we need to lock up in like three minutes. Go get a room, guys,” Ethan interrupts with a laugh.

Michael pulls away only far enough to look at Alex. The taller man has a swollen mouth and bright red cheeks, his eyes glitter with silent laughter. He’s so damn pretty.

Alex feels an unstoppable smile growing on his own face, too happy to feel embarrassed at getting caught making out against the shelves. He grabs Michael’s hand, enjoying the way Michael’s long fingers wrap around his own. He squeezes once and places a quick peck on Michael’s lips just because he can. Michael smiles fully, lips wide with cute teeth and all. Ethan groans and walks away.

They leave the library together, hands still intertwined. Alex tries for a second to calm down, but he’s too elated to care.

“So what now?” he asks quietly because it’s ten, and Michael probably has somewhere to be, but Alex doesn’t want to leave just yet. He scuffs his shoe and the pavement and tries not to look like he’s expecting anything.

“I-I don’t want to sound too presumptuous,” Michael stutters, and Alex will never tire of hearing the normally composed Michael sound unbalanced, “but I was wondering if you’d like to get dinner with me.”

“Yes!” and Alex will now die the terrible death of someone that is terminally embarrassing.

Instead of mocking him, Michael merely smiles fondly, and they agree to meet at the pizza place a few blocks away. Michael kisses him slowly, tenderly before he leaves Alex to get in his own car. By himself, Alex wiggles in his seat and squeals with excitement because _Michael_ likes _him_! And they’re going on a _date_ after _kissing_!

Maybe Alex’s life is not so unlucky, after all.

And Gabriel deserves a gift basket.


End file.
